The Journey of a Death Knight
by Runicpower of Azeroth
Summary: All That Rywen wants to do is to go to Icecrown and become a valiant member of the Horde by entering in the Argent Tournament and battling the scourge. Although her plans may be delayed when she is forced into being a officer of an undercover operation of rouges, and when a mysterious night elf is forced into her company she is left with many questions and not enough answers.
1. Chapter 1

As Rywen neared the horde capital of Orgrimmar she knew exactly what she needed and what she was looking for. She was on a mission to go compete in the argent tournament in Icecrown to prove herself to Azeroth as a formidable opponent and receive honor and recognition in the horde. Her purpose in the city was to spend a few weeks preparing for her expedition by catching up with old friends and getting some new armor and supplies. She was a blood elf, with a tall, lean frame, vibrant red hair that spent it's time in a ponytail, and had a fierce and determined look on her face. Her eyes were something that she was grateful for. She hated the sickly fel green most elves had and was thankful that hers had been turned blue by her resurrection. The only drawback is that at first glance many mistook her for a high elf, although under further inspection it was obvious to see that she was a blood elf. To many members of her race she was considered to be beautiful, a picture of death itself. Many members of her faction were attracted to her although she did not concern herself with the thought of being in a relationship. Once she was ripped from her life of a warrior and enslaved as one of Arthas's dogs she learned to feel little compassion for others. She was not accepted immediately into the horde, although once it was shown that she had broken off her allegiance to Arthas she had been considered as a useful ally. A death knight's presence was un welcomed by most, although there was those who saw her true potential.

She was traveling on her bronze drake from a mission that she had in Rachet. Some goblins were having trouble with some of the townsfolk and asked her to see to it for some gold. Although that particular city was deemed neutral, it was not unheard of for the inhabitants to dispose of one another when the going got rough. She shook her head remembering that the goblins had her end some meaningless gnome who had "stolen" their new engineering idea.

She finally saw Orgrimmar come into sight and urged her drake to speed up. She landed at the roost near the flight path above the city and tossed the young Orc stable hand a silver piece to give her mount feed and water. She quickly jogged over to the lift nearby and decided that she needed to go to the bank first to extract some ore and blacksmith supplies.

It had been taken into account over the past few months that she was desperately in need of some new armor. Being independent as always Rywen wanted to make her armor herself before spending an obscene amount of gold in the auction house. Nearing the lift, Rywen heaved her heavy backpacks over her shoulder and leapt onto it just before it took off.

As Rywen walked at a brisk pace through the crowed alleyways of the city she considered going to the stables to retrieve her mount although thought better of it. She knew that on foot she would be able to dodge around many of the milling citizens, but on a mount she would be forced to trudge behind everyone to avoid trampling them. The bank finally came into sight with its protruding spikes and harsh look that everything in the city had.

The goblins who ran it were known for their greed in charging the users there for every little bit of space that their vault took up. She gave the password to the nearest goblin and was lead to her small hoard of items. Rifling through the unorganized mess she managed to find her hammer along with a few bars of saronite with a copious amount of nuggets and ore that would take forever to smelt. After loading her supplies into her backpack she went to pick it up and nearly toppled over in surprise at how heavy it was. She steeled herself saying that this was just a workout. That might break her back in the process, she thought as she groaned inwardly.

The walk towards the blacksmith was something that Rywen did not ever want to do again. The exhaustion and newfound hatred of the citizens of Orgrimmar did not mix well with the realization of the fact that she would be having to spend a few days making her armor in the blazing heat of this particular part of Kalimdor.

She had finally made it to the blacksmith when she saw the bane of her existence.

Lets just say that Rywen had a temper, many joked that it was her red hair, although it was really the personality she had been born with. When she had first come to the city and joined the horde she had made some enemies. Particularly with the female elves of her race. The fact that Rywen had an unearthly beauty to her and the fact she had several horde falling head over heels for her did not put her off to a great start. Jealousy was common among the blood elves and when Rywen met this certain elf she found that such an emotion could go very far.

The females name was Alyssa Brightdawn, even the name sounded girly, Rywen thought. The girl had blond flowing hair that was adorned with a hideous bejeweled headband. She was wearing a ridiculous set of red armor that hardly left anything to imagination. Rywen observed Alyssa with disgust, Rywen just thought that the other elf was an idiot for dressing in such a way. The fool even went to battle dressed like that. How did the girl expect to survive a true fight looking like that, one throw of a knife or swing of a sword would end her miserable life in a second.

" What are you doing here?" Alyssa spat.

" Why should I tell a wretch like you?" Rywen countered.

" Mabye some of us should learn to respect their greaters." Came the reply.

" You wish."

Rywen turned back to start sorting through her supplies when she heard a movement that was coming towards her.

With the trying and exausting day Rywen had so far she decided to do something she might regret. Summoning her runicpower she turned around and punched Alyssa in the face with as much force as she could muster.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys this is my very first fanfiction and I want to let you know that I plan to keep on updating regularly. FYI this chapter will be first person ( Rywen's POV). Please review and feel free to tell me if there is anything I can work on. Thanks!**

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I felt my fist collide with Alyssa's perfect little face and drew back to see her reaction. It was priceless, her face held one of shock mixed with anger. It was amusing to see her bright red face start to become a sickly color and peel away where I hit her. One of my specialties is my talent with blood and death runes. Since I had some of my runicpower behind my blow it was starting to make the flesh decay around it.

Alyssa touched her face and a look of horror came across it, replacing the anger. I knew that she wouldn't dare fight back. There was rules in the city about dueling and she knew that her "warrior" self could not compare to my talent.

She stalked away and out of the corner of my eye I could see her fish her hearthstone out of her pocket and teleport away. I smirked knowing that I had won this time and had bruised her ego.

I once again turned around to start smelting down some of the saronite, when I felt a heavily plated hand come down on my shoulder. I whipped around for the second time that day expecting another confrontation, although before I could get a word out I was swept into a bone crushing hug.

I struggled against the offender and broke free, rubbing my side as a deep and strong voice said, " Rywen I can't believe you are back. I have been waiting for you for three months now."

The man who stood in front of me was the only one in the whole of Azeroth that I trusted with my life, and had been my best friend from the day I came to Orgrimmar after I rejoined.

He was a blood elf with short blond spiky hair and had a very muscular and strong build. We were opposites in every way, he was an honored paladin skilled in the arts of protection and healing. I on the other hand was a girl who had only known pain and suffering, with the only way to sate my needs by killing and battle.

Yet these differences somehow brought us together, closer than anyone else. We balanced each other out, being the ideal battle partners and adventurers.

" I am glad to see you Kulran, I have missed you." I replied.

" What have you been doing the past few months?" He asked curiously.

" When you left the battle of Ashenevale to an urgent call I was forced to stay for two months. I then completed a few missions here and there on my way back to earn some more gold since being a soldier pays so little." I explained.

I knew that with my plans to return to the city and having to pay for a passage to Icecrown I would need a lot more money than I had, so that was the reason I had agreed to fight.

Kulran nodded his head in understanding and told me that he would have to get going. He had to mentor a class of trainees in an hour and needed to prepare. I waved goodbye and promised to meet him in the Valley of Strength in the morning.

I sighed as I picked up my ore and lugged it over to furnace, groaning at the thought of the many grueling hours of labor ahead.

I finally finished turning all of the saronite into bars near dusk. Not wanting to waste any time I managed to scurry to the anvil and craft a new pair of gauntlets by eleven o'clock.

Sweat gathered at my brow in the humidity of the city, despite the fact that it was in the middle of the night the temperature only went down a maximum of five degrees. I had left my blacksmith materials with my trainer who was at the forge, knowing that they would not let them go astray. The thought of lugging all of that around the city again almost put me in a bad mood.

I wandered around the city trying to find an inn to stay at for the night when I suddenly felt the cold steel of a knife come into contact with my neck.

"What's dis? A lil elfie out at nite all by herself, dat not be very smart now is it mon." Came the voice of a troll.

I cursed under my breath, I could normally sense a presence instantly and prepare myself to defend against it. But with the day's events and my mind not being focused on my safety I had ventured into the drag, forgetting the pickpockets that inhabited this area. I was only carrying two daggers on me and neither were coated in poison, so unless I managed to stab the rouge in the heart or neck they wouldn't be of much use.

I stood still, formulating a plan in my head as the troll was searching me for valuables. I suddenly muttered a dark word, raising a ghoul that charged at him causing the dagger to leave my throat to defend against the angry corpse. I quickly turned to face the troll and shouted out a curse that lifted him up in the air, strangulating him. This caused his weapon to fall to the ground and I scooped it up, watching his writhing form closely. I saw that his atempts to fight the chains surounding him were growing weaker and weaker. I considered releasing him and giving him a fair warning, that was the Kulran in me speaking. Although my dark side won as usual, I left him there and threw his own dagger at him and the struggling ended as he fell into a heap on the ground, creating a small cloud of dust.

After my ghoul had died from lack of meat and I had the troll's body hidden away, I decided it was time to leave the drag and I had my mind firmly set on finding an inn.

Although, since when I had woken up today and somehow offended the gods, my day, or night now was not allowed to come to an end yet.

I heard a slow clapping noise beside me and saw another rouge become un stealthed.

"Congratulations death knight. He was getting on my nerves." The rouge said.

"Who are you?" I asked suspiciously.

" Ah wouldn't you just love to know, unfortunately for you that is currently my business and not yours. Although if you must know I happen to be one of the best rouges in the city." He stated with great emphasis.

" An honorable position." I said dryly " While I would love to stay and chat I'm afraid that I have more important matters to attend to at this time of night."

" Tomorrow then, and this isn't a question or suggestion it is an order. Meet me here after dusk. I will be waiting." He said.

Before I could protest he vanished leaving me alone in the night. He had not even given me the chance to reply, and while I normally would have brushed something like this off, I had a feeling that this rouge was dangerous and important. I quickly rushed to the nearest inn and thankfully there was one room left. Unfortunately it was right above the tavern part of the inn. Just my luck, I thought.

After eating a meal of some suspicious mystery meat I headed upstairs to try and catch some sleep. I could not rest, the mysterious rouge was keeping my mind reeling. I had not gotten his name, and I could not even recall his features since he was wearing a mask along with full body armor.

I groaned in frustration at the events of today and was not looking forward to tomorrow since I would be tired and left with a boatload of work to do. After becoming used to the shouts and sounds of brawls from below me I finally drifted off to sleep not knowing what to expect the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

**So** **here is chapter three. I can't update on Mondays or Thursdays but I will try to update every other day depending on how busy I am. Please review and let me know what you think! :) **

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Rywen awoke to the drums that sounded off at five every morning and had to remind herself why she was here in Orgrimmar preparing for Icecrown and not relaxing somewhere on vacation in Booty Bay. She had never been a morning elf and never would be. Rywen had woken up at the same time every day for the past two years and still could not convince her body into the routine of waking up on time. The fact that she could sleep for hours into the afternoon did not mix well with the place she lived in.

**Rywen POV:**

I crept over to the oil lamp nearby and turned it on, watching the dim light fill the room. The room was small and only contained a cot with an armor and weapons rack in the corner. I had bits and pieces that were remembered of my previous life in Silvermoon and could conclude that the furnished decor of my homeland was a sharp contrast to the ways of the rest of the horde. Although I didn't mind, my expectations of living we're not held in very high stardards after I became a soldier in the Lich King's army. Comming to Orgrimmar put things into perspective for many of the horde. They quickly accepted the fact that we were in a war, and the only way for us to come out would be with victory.

My muscles ached from working at the blacksmith for so long yesterday, only to be reintroduced to the pain later. My plans for today was to meet with Kulran in the Valley of Strength to purchase some supplies and catch up. I then realized that I would have to be meeting that mysterious rouge later. I was suspicious of going but I wanted to learn more about him. I also doubted that I would be walking in safe territory if I decided against going anyways.

I quickly strapped on my armor and slipped a few knives in my boots, followed by strapping my sword in its scabbard and tying it around my waist, finally placing my axe into a special weapons carrier on my back, I gathered my hair up into a fierce ponytail and set off downstairs. One could never go unprepared no matter where it was, especialy in these times. If I left my armor in my room it could get stolen, and if I didn't put it on I could get knifed in the ribs. Resulting in my every day routine of dressing like I am going to battle.

I came to the bottom of the staircase and walkes out of the inn, managing to creep my way around all of the passed out drunks and barmaids trying to clean up the messes from the night before to get ready for the coming day.

Thankfully it was still early in the morning and most of the population had not awakened yet. The auction house didn't start to open for business until eight and I suspected that Kulran wasn't even up yet. I at least had some disipline and would wake up no matter how much I didn't want to, while he would do whatever he pleased. The fact that he wasn't awake yet irritated me because I had no one to converse with these early in the morning exept for the tradesmen who were setting up the goods they had for sale today. I decided that since Kulran wouldn't be here for a couple of hours that I would go try and learn how to make a new set of boots that would increase my endurance.

The trainer that I work with was already up preparing the forge for the custumors he would be having and the pupils that would make their supplies here with him. I had been under his watchful eye in the craft ever since I started. I walked over to him asking the Orc how I could make the certain item I wanted. He started rummaging through a case full of scrolls with recipes on them and finally drew one out with a satisfactory smile. I took it from his hands and examined it closely.

I frowned while looking over the list, half of the items would be extremely hard to find since many were not found in this part of Kalimdor. I sighed knowing that I would have to buy them in the auction house for some obscene price since I did feel like having to search for at least a month across the continent.

I heard the bell the signaled eight o'clock and was jolted from the dazed stance I had been I since five. The trip to and from The blacksmith had taken about an hour and with trying to figure out a way to gather items left me unhappy at the thought of having to spend more of my depleting stores of gold.

I wandered over to the inn that was next to the auction house that I knew Kulran would be staying at. As soon as I got there I saw him step out into the rising sun of the new morning. He to had all of his armor and weapons equiped for fear of being jumped or having them stolen. The sun radiated off of his golden clad self and I had to draw in a sharp breath to remind myself that this was Kulran I was looking at, not an angel.

He smiled at me and we briskly walked over to the auction house nearby. I was looking for several potions and supplies, along with some items that I couldn't make myself such as a cloak and some power enhanced rings. The goblin Auctioneers already had the items up for sale displayed and were selling them off to various customers. Kulran and I waited for them to get around to them to start the bidding for a Flask of Winters Bite.

After waiting in the auction house's stifling heat for an hour the bidding finally got underway and I had Kulran's guidance to help me. I was not the best at auctions when it came to keeping a poker face and keeping my cool when I went out of my price range. The last time I was at an auction I lost my temper and had an all out brawl with the winner of the item I wanted. Let's just say that I was banned from bidding for three months.

I thought that I almost had the flask when all of the sudden an Orc to my right had raised the price fifty gold. I glanced at Kulran who shook his head saying that it wasn't worth that much money. I started to get depressed at the fact that I wouldn't get the flask and started thinking about the other things that I could buy, when a bidding war started.

The female Orc who had out bidded me was currently being challenged by a hooded figure who was stationed near the back of the crowd. The brief glance at the outline of the figure looked strangely familiar, although I couldn't put my finger on it.

After the bidding had stopped and the things I needed wouldn't be put up for auction for another two hours, Kulran and I decided practice our skills over at the training dummy's.

As we were walking there I felt something slip into my hand and looked down to see it was the Flask of Winter's Bite I had been wanting. Then I heard a whisper in my ear from a male behind me.

" Do not forget to meet me tonight." Came the sly voice of an all to familiar rouge.

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**Okay, so what do you think so far? The next chapter is when Rywen will meet this mysterious rouge. Please review! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**So Rywen finally meets the rouge! In this chapter Rywen also feels emotion and it's towards Kulran when she does the unthinkable. Please review and let me know what you think! :)**

I shuddered at the sudden presence behind me at whipped around only to find no one except for the everyday citizen. Of coursed he was stealthed, I thought. Kulran looked at me confused and I gave him a reassuring glance, saying that everything was fine. I was finally beginning to forget about that rouge and relax for the day, when he just had to pop up and remind me that I still have to risk my neck tonight to meet him for some reason that I could honestly care less about. I decided that once we reached the training grounds, those wooden soldiers wouldn't know what hit them.

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Bloodlust was common in death knights, and was summoned in us for the simplest of reasons. We could be having a polite conversation with a friend and all of the sudden rip them to shreds if we started to get flustered. That's why death knights were always sought after to fight in battles or skirmishes. We were practically invincible when we got into this phase. The only bad part was that when a death knight got into this state it took an immense amount of mental concentration to decipher friend from foe. Which was also another reason why everyone was reluctant to befriend me for fear of being turned on.

I had tried so hard to forget how the bloodlust had controlled me the first year I had separated from Arthas. I tried to go back to my family in Silvermoon and was not greeted with as warm of a welcome that I was expecting. My family feared me and so did their friends. They tried to send me away and I lost it. I slaughtered every last one of them, even my little brother that I had the hardest time being away from. That is why I have spent the rest of my time trying to control all of the pent up anger and keep the bloodlust at bay. I didn't want to hurt anyone that I cared about. Alliance I was fine with, not even the smallest child or oldest person phased me and I took care of them with little mercy, although I refused to let myself kill a loved one again.

Kulran was the only one who knew about this and he didn't take well to it at first. After he calmed down he started to realize that I was not in control and he no longer held it against me. Although any time that I let go in public meant that I would be in big trouble with him.

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We finally reached the shoddily made training dummies and I let all of my anger and frustration out, heedless of the fact that I would be triggering the emotion I was trying so hard to keep at bay. I pictured the dummy's having Alyssa's and that rouge's faces on them. I didn't even bother summoning my ghoul this time, I just charged at one of the dummies, sending surprised looks my way as everyone glanced up from their wooden enemies. I didn't care though, I brandished my sword in front of me and sent a dark force through it that shot out of the end of it and crashed into the dummy ripping it in half. I quickly turned to my left and started hacking the next wooden opponent to pieces in a matter of seconds.

It started to become to late for me to realize that I was letting go, and would soon endanger everyone here.

I continued on my maddened frenzy until every single dummy was in pieces and there was numerous bits of decaying and hacked up wood strewn across the training ground. Although I didn't stop there, my eyes had blue flames sparking in them and my face was twisted into a sick grin. I saw that I had a small crowd around me watching in awe although my mind didn't register that they were horde and innocent. I started charging towards one of them, my bloodlust was high and I couldn't control myself. I had almost reached the undead mage I was aiming for and took into no consideration the look of pure terror on their face. When suddenly I felt a figure crash into my side sending me reeling, but only for a few moments. I leapt to my feet and saw Kulran towering over me with pure fury and angst in his eyes. I screamed at my mind to stop although a felt my dark side completely take over and I dove at him, aiming my blade straight towards his chest.

I then felt a surprising thrill rush through me as I saw my arms drive my sword towards its goal. Only to be stopped by a sudden magical shield that he had thrown up, protecting his whole body from my attacks. There was a small part of me that wanted to stop although it was heavily out weighed by the months of being deprived of not sneaking around and doing assassins work. But seeing the hope in the victims eyes that they might just have a chance fueled my lust even more, this I loved because I knew they didn't.

I saw Kulran start to cast a spell frantically under his shield that was starting to wear down and saw him point his hands directly at me. I felt a soothing light wash over me and my bloodlust was gone.

I collapsed into a heap and felt Kulran kneel by me whispering into my ear that it was going to be alright. I crawled into his arms and buried my face in his chest sobbing. I had broken the promise that I had made all those years ago, I had tried to harm someone I cared about.

We just sat there with me being encased in his arms, and I felt the most vulnerable I had ever been, despite the fact that if he wasn't there I would have most likely killed all of my fellow horde. I could sense him glare at anyone who came near us and felt him hug me closer as the sobs wracked my body.

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We decided that the auction house would be for another time considering the day's events. As Kulran walked me back to the inn I was staying at, I realized that today was the first time I had ever felt true emotion. I had never in my new life cried before and the feeling that I felt while being wrapped in Kulran's arms was confusing me greatly. I felt complete for the first time just sitting there as he held me while I cried. I decided that while I didn't loath the feeling of whatever I had felt, I didn't want it to ever happen again. I knew that if I felt this certain emotion that I would not be in control and I would be vulnerable, and I hated those feelings.

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It took what felt like forever to convince Kulran that I was alright and that he could leave me. Although he wasn't fully convinced that I was alright he finally gave in promising me that he would be knocking on my door to make sure I was alright In a few hours. I agreed to this only to realize right after he left that in a few hours I would have to meeting that mysterious rouge.

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After sitting at a table in the back of the tavern for a while I decided that it was time to go decide my fate in meeting the rouge in the drag. I had absolutely no idea why he wanted to meet me so badly although I didn't want to find out what would happen if I didn't show.

I made the long precarious walk to the drag with my sword drawn, jumping at the slightest movement, I continued walking to my destination in this fashion, earning me several curious looks. I finally got to the drag and waited where I had last seen him. It had been at least thirty minutes and there was still no sign of the rouge. I began to become bored and started to practice my death grip on the occasional rat I saw run across the alleyway. It started to become an amusing game, I would let the rat run a ways away and then send out an invisible hand wrenching it towards me and when it passed out from exhaustion I would move on to the next rat.

My boredom had resulted in me killing five rats and I was on my sixth, when I sensed a presence behind me. I didn't tense up because I wanted to make the rouge think that he had the advantage I simply went on yanking the rat here and there while slowly focusing on levitating the daggerI had hidden in my boot into my hand. As soon as the dagger reached my hand I snatched it up and hurled it at the rouge who had helped cause my lose of self control earlier in the day. He had not been expecting it although since I had thrown it without concentrating on an exact point it only hit him in the arm. I heard him grunt and pull the dagger out while checking to see if it was poisoned.

"It's not poisoned." I called out to him " If I wanted to kill you I would have already, consider that as a greeting gift. Although can I make a request that I you take off your mask, it's something that normal horde do to ensure that they don't want to kill you." I added sarcastically.

I saw him take off the cloth mask he was wearing and wrap it around the shallow would in his arm.

" There are you happy now." He asked with an annoyed expression.

I had to keep myself from gasping as he took off his mask, what layer underneath was too handsome to stay under a mask all of the time. He was a blood elf, and while most of the race has very beautiful features, he put us all to shame. His hair was gathered in a loose ponytail and some of it swept around his face. He was tall and lean with a hardened face that like mine, looked like it had seen a lifetime of violence. But only the trained eye could see that to everyone else he would look like a model. I mentally slapped myself, here I was in the drag in the middle of the night intending on giving him a piece of my mind and instead I find myself staring at him like the girls back in Silvermoon.

" Yes, thank you." I said, trying to school my face into an emotionless statue like I had for as long as I can remember.

"Now first, what do you want?" I asked, " you must have some reason for demanding that I come out here.

" Well I guess that it's no use dodging around the fact". he said, " I asked you to come out here because when I saw you take out that troll I saw the potential in you. I am the leader of an undercover operation, known as the Rouge's Court that has been been famous for all sorts of break ins and robberies all across Azeroth."

He tried to continue but I interrupted him. " While that's great to know how do I tie into this?" I asked "And how are you the leader when you are so young?"

" You see our weapons and fighting tactics officer just died and we need new one and fast, seeing that your style of fighting is outstanding you would be a great choice. As for why I am the leader that's none of your business." He stated

"Listen, while this sounds really fun and all I have other plans that involve me going to Northrend, not staying here trying to teach a band of thieving outlaws in Orgrimmar." I said

"Oh I'm not asking you to become a leader, I'm telling you." He replied with a disturbing grin.

I started to respond when he struck me on the head hard with the hilt of his dagger, sending me plummeting into darkness.

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**I just love cliffhangers, don't you? :) please review!**


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